From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Leaf Terminology

"It's got sort of round leaves and a funny little pointy thing at the end of them and they attach to a stem and then to a bigger stem."

You may hear descriptions like this from your students as they try to describe and maybe even classify leaves. While it is important for you to encourage and value these observations, we also recommend that you provide support for more detailed, in-depth observations during the inquiry process. Following are some botanical terms to help you in this endeavor:

Leaf Color.



Leaf Size. (length and width)

Leaf Texture.

Patterns of Veins.